Constitutive modeling for Ti-6Al-4V alloy machining based on the SHPB tests and simulation

A constitutive model is critical for the prediction accuracy of a metal cutting simulation. The highest strain rate involved in the cutting process can be in the range of 104–106 s–1. Flow stresses at high strain rates are close to that of cutting are difficult to test via experiments. Split Hopkinson compression bar (SHPB) technology is used to study the deformation behavior of Ti-6Al-4V alloy at strain rates of 10–4–104s–1. The Johnson Cook (JC) model was applied to characterize the flow stresses of the SHPB tests at various conditions. The parameters of the JC model are optimized by using a genetic algorithm technology. The JC plastic model and the energy density-based ductile failure criteria are adopted in the proposed SHPB finite element simulation model. The simulated flow stresses and the failure characteristics, such as the cracks along the adiabatic shear bands agree well with the experimental results. Afterwards, the SHPB simulation is used to simulate higher strain rate(approximately 3×104 s–1) conditions by minimizing the size of the specimen. The JC model parameters covering higher strain rate conditions which are close to the deformation condition in cutting were calculated based on the flow stresses obtained by using the SHPB tests (10–4–104 s–1) and simulation (up to 3×104 s–1). The cutting simulation using the constitutive parameters is validated by the measured forces and chip morphology. The constitutive model and parameters for high strain rate conditions that are identical to those of cutting were obtained based on the SHPB tests and simulation.